Valve operating mechanism



p 1943- E. A. RUTLEDGE 2,329,788

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 10, 1940 5 Sheets-$heet l E. A.RUTLEDGE VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Sept. 21, 1943.

Filed July in, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WY M M Sept. 21, 1943. E. A.RUTLEDGE 2,329,783

VALVE OPERATINQ MECHANISM Filed July 10, 1940 v s Sheets-Sheet s II III!II III] I II II ,4 7 TOR/v.0

prises tin the embodiment Patented Sept. 21, 1943 I some!) STAKE i .15"'1 vADVE QPERATIN QA E ic IA; -Mfled e1-5Tr xtias i wlkfRensselaflrwvmg, y camesir. N w York Y Amer-icon my 111, 1940, is345m V pcorporation' of qgci i s.

invent-ion particularly relates-to the operating mephanism-foralvalve ofthe cqne'type, though notnecessarily limited-theretd.

imme-operation of a-coneWlveitQ-is desirable first-to liftthevalveaxially-frornits seat whether i it is the open or closedpositionfand then move the valve pirally and :finally rotate *the valveand again --to*reseat the valve with {-a re- *verse'movemerrt. r

One :ofthe objects of my inventionjis a mec h- --anism for operating a'valve of two sectionsand a swivel coupling interposed between the twosections. Means are also-associated with "one of said"sectionsiormoving-the section and the-valveaXia Hyan'd-a secondmeans "is*associatedwithithe otherv section of the valve stem for impartingrotary movement only "to thevalve; i 1 v o 6 means which "Iiemploy formoving-one of the sectionsroft'l'ie' valve stem axially and ferroitating.the other section :ofthe valve *stem comv of my invention-illustrated,toothed sectors. ,Which meshwith respective racks of arack bar Anotherobject of my invention is a' mechanism of the foregoing characterwhichfis char- 'acterized'by its simplicity in design and-opera.-tionand' ease in its manufacture andwhich provides 'for readyaccessibility and inspection .of parts. 7'

Otherobjects of my inventibmwillappearin "the specification and thenovel features thereof "will 'be' particularly pointed -outinthe-claims;

My invention will best heunderstcod by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in Which Fig. "1 is a--vertical section through the' Valve andits-operating-mechanism-g v -Fig.2-is a, front view of thehousingand-(ax tensions-thereofandillustrating the rack banand' certai-nassociated parts in dotted lines;

'-Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. illustrate various posi- "tionsof the threerack bars and theathree toothed sectors which mesh therewith and whichcorrespond'to various positions sofa-theivalve ;operating means, and iFig.9 is-a'planview. of the -rackbar. Like reference characters indicate:lilge parts -throughoutthe'dravvines. Referring tothe drawings, a-valvehousingilfl -is;.provided with a valve seat H for aicones-or plug HIwhich-Tisactuated by .a valve 9 stem 12 comprising aniupper or'outersection l2! oand an inner or lower section I22, th'elattersecjtion being secured to the valve plug ll'l; "Thevalveistheioregoiirg v 'cha-raetervvhich comprises avalve stem having7(Cllg2l4-7L22L' w v provided with a boss -13 formed twith anuopeningl-4' in which the lower end o'f the' valve stem is received and to whichit is pinned oriotherwise -sec'ured,-as at-|5. In accordance with-myinvention -means ar-e owed/mi permitting :mdepenclent' 'otary movemen-tof the two: sections of -the I valve -stem and-"fer permitting-axialmovement therieofv-lonly whet-1 the two sections ofthe valve stem sane Atoothed sector "6b is movecl axially together;

pinnedcrotherwise secmed to the lower lsection is mevableatrig t''angles to -thwahie operatfi'n-g' stemw as'i indicated im Figs ."1 sand13: 1:05.8

swivelemailing indicatedgenenally atl h9ii s El- 2il on 'its outersurface and-ixeceivesa nun-22 which is thread-ed Men the moss-i211 sand;formsian -inclosu'z e -fo'r the swivel coupling. o-The. 'rupper-sectior'1 12l of --'-the' valve stem :is .fo'nme'd aitdts lower enelwith a diScZiZS whichcis receivedrin. ta re'ces s' -iri thewoss z'fla-idis'c zllr heingadisposechbetween thedis'c =23: ami the toothedsecto'rl 1.6;,and -a-'-1 rig" 2:5 being in t'erlacsedcloetweenuth;discs23 30 'and'theenclos in'gniit 22. v-

operating mechanism as ibestls holwn iiirfiig accver co '-ofthe val-vegperating mechanismiheusrounding the lower sectionilfilofithemaWe. stem,

45 ,Atbdthed sector- 1%| f whichz isamounted gem-and secureclto: adownwardlyiextendinglsleevent3 inft egralfwitfr thfmltQQQGhgaQEs arack'iilllz onithe raekgbar.

'v ln tiieemboelimentoomyinventionillustrated,

.rfilhe which offthe formed cn auraoktliar vl'fl-mhich valve operatingmechanism housing, the inner end of the stem being suitably secured toone end of the rack bar I8. Nut 36 is operatively fastened to a handwheel 35 through which stem 34 freely passes. Hence, an operation ofwheel 35 will rotate nut 36 and effect axial movement of stem 34. Theopposite end of the rack bar may engage an adjustable stop 31 at one endof its movement. The stop 31 may conveniently be mounted in an extensionIUI mounted on the opposite side of the valve housing from the extensionIflIl. Operation of the hand wheel 35,

thus actuates the stem 34 and the rack barto which it is attached. Thevalve operating mechanism housing is provided witha groove 33 in whichthe rack bar is received and along whichit slides.

Figs. 3 to 5 illustrate the toothed sectors and the associated rack inthe relative positions that they occupy when the valve is seated in theopen position and Figs. 6, to 8 the positions the same parts occupy whenthe valve is in the closed seated position. I r

Assume, now that the valve is in its open seated position and is to bemoved to its closed seated position. When the rack bar I8 is moved inthe direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 3, the toothed sector 3 I'which is now in mesh with the associated rack 3 is rotatedclockwise andcorrespondingly rotates the nut-:29 on which it is mounted. Due to thethreaded connection between the. upper end of the upper section I2I ofthe valve stem and the nut, the valve stem is carried upwardly to theunseated position. After a predetermined distance ofgtravel of the rackbar I8, the'toothed sectori I6 is picked up by the rack bar I6I with theresult that the lower section of the valve stem is rotated therebyrotating the valve and. as the teeth of the sector 3| are still inengagement withthe teethof the associated rack 3 the valve stem is alsolifted resulting in.an upward spiral movement of the valve. Furthermovement of the rack bar I8 causes the teeth of the sector 32 to engagethe teeth of the rack bar 32L At this time all three sectors are engagedby their respective racks and all three sectors are rotated. As the nut29 and the upper stem I2I' of the valve stem are rotated in the samedirection, the two movements may substantially neutralize each other andthen there f,

is no axial movement of the valve stem. The sector I6, however, whichstill meshes with its associated rack I6I rotates the lower section I22of the valve stem resulting in a rotary movement only of the valve. Thismovement continues until the valve is carried approximately to itsclosed position at which point sector 3I is disengaged from itsassociated rack 3| I (Fig. 6) with the result that nut 29 ceases torotate. Since toothed sectors I6 and. 32 are stillin engagement withtheir associated respective racks IBI and 32I the valve is subjected toa combined axial and rotary movement which carries ,.thevalve downward,

the rotary movement being the reverse of that during its upward movementas it is produced by the rotary movement of the upper section of thevalve stem rather than by the nut, and the valve is moved spirallydownward. Before reaching the fully seated position, sector I6 isdisengaged from its rack IE I (Fig. 3) with the result that the valveceases to rotatebut is moved axially to its seat by the continuedrotation of-the upper section of the valve stem by engagement of rack32I with the sector 32, the rotation of the upper section of the valvestem moving it axially downward due to its threaded engagement with thenut 29.

The unseating, turning and reseating motion is thus obtained through thecombination of the three toothed sectors and the associated racksprovided with teeth specially machined and working in conjunction withthe rotatable nut 29, valve stem I2 and the teeth of the respectivetoothed sectors which are cut away in the manner described above, andwith which the swivel coupling in the valve stem cooperates.

It is to be noted that, as hereinbefore pointed out, the plug-operatingstem of my valve comprises upper and lower sections which may rotaterelative to each other through the medium of the coupling-I 9. jFurthermore, since the toothed sectors 3| and 32 are operativelyconnected with the nut 29 and upper section I2I of the valve stem,respectively, and the toothed sector I6 is secured to the lower sectionI22 of the valve stem, axial movement is imparted to the plug IIIthrough an operation of the rack bar and sectors 3L and 32 while rotarymovement of the plug is effected through an operation of sector 56.Hence, the sectors and their associated toothed portions of the rack I8need not necessarily be precisely designed, and.close, relativeadjustment of these ,partsin assembling is unnecessary in order toprovide the desired movement of the plug,'that is, pure axial movementthereof from its seated position and thereafter rotary or combined axialand rotarymovement. Therefore, the. operating parts of my valve may beproduced at a low manufacturing cost and assembly of the valve parts'maybe expeditiously accomplished.

The upper end of the upper section l2lof the valve stem ispreferablyprovided with means which afford an indication of the closedand open positions of the valve. A stem 39 is secured to the upper endof the section IZI of the valve stem as by screwing the lower threadedend 40 thereof into a threaded recess in the valve stem. To the upperend of the stem G9 is attached a pointer 4| which moves over a dial 42on which Closed" and Open may be applied.

The valve and the operating. mechanism therefor are characterized bytheir simplicity in operation and design, ease in manufacture and astructure which provides "easy access. Suflicient' power may readily beapplied through the operating mechanism, either manually orautomatically, positively to unseat the 'cone valve when in either theopen or closed position and continued movement thereof until the cycleof operation is completed. 7

By reducing axial movement to a minimum and combining axialand rotarymovement in a spiral motion the length of the complete operating strokeis materially shortened thereby reducing material costs and labor in itsmanufacture. Another advantage of the short axial movement plus thespiral unseating movement is the tendency. to cleanse the seating,surfaces.

Suitable stops 6.3, M, 45 and a fourth stop (not illustrated) arepreferably provided to limit;t he movement of the sectors 3% and l WhileI have described my inventionrin. its preferred embodiment, it is to beunderstoodthat the words which I have used are words or descriptionrather than of limitatiom Hence, changes within the purview of theappended claims may be made. without departing 'fromthe broader aspects.

What I claim is:

l. A valve-operating mechanism of the character described for thetapered plug of a valve comprising a pair of axially aligned shafts,means forming a swivel coupling for connecting said shafts together,said coupling permitting relative rotary movement of said shafts butpreventing relative axial movement thereof, a first of said shafts beingadapted to be connected to said plug and the second of said shafts beingprovided with screw threads, a rotatably mounted nut arranged to engagethe threads on said second shaft and said nut being fixed againstmovement axially of said second shaft, means for rotating said nut,means operatively connected with said second shaft for rotating the sameand means operatively connected with said first shaft for rotating thesame; whereby relative rotation of said nut and said second shaft willproduce purely an axial movement of said first shaft and said plug, whenconnected thereto, and an operation of said last mentioned means willproduce rotation of said first shaft.

2. A valve-operating mechanism of the character described for thetapered plug of a valve comprising a pair of axially aligned shafts,means forming a swivel coupling for connecting said shafts together,said coupling permitting relative rotary movement of said shafts butpreventing relative axial movement thereof, a first of said shafts beingadapted to be connected to said plug and the second of said shafts beingprovided with screw threads, a rotatably mounted nut arranged to engagethe threads on said shaft and said nut being fixed against movementaxially of said shaft, a first toothed sector secured to said nut, asecond toothed sector mounted on said second shaft, a third toothedsector secured to said first shaft, and a rack bar adapted to mesh withand rotate said sectors; the teeth of said rack bar and sectors being soconstructed and relatively arranged that upon an operation of said rackbar said first shaft and said plug, when connected thereto, will befirst moved purely in an axial direction to lift the plug from its seatand thus rotated.

3. A valve-operating mechanism of the character described for thetapered plug of a valve comprising a pair of axially aligned shafts,means forming a swivel coupling for connecting said shafts together,said coupling permitting relative rotary movement of said shafts butpreventing relative axial movement thereof, a first of said shafts beingadapted to be connected to said plug and the second of said shafts beingprovided with screw threads, a rotatably mounted nut arranged to engagethe threads on said shaft and said nut being fixed against movementaxially of said shaft, means for rotating said nut whereby to effect arotation and axial movement of said second shaft and an axial movementof said first shaft and means for rotating said first shaft;

said nut and shaft-rotating means being so constructed, correlated andarranged as to produce first a purely axial movement of said first shaftand said plug, when connected thereto, to lift the plug from its seatand thereafter a rotary movement of said first shaft and plug.

4. A valve-operating mechanism of the character described for thetapered plug of a valve comprsing first and second axially alignedshafts, means forming a swivel coupling for connecting said shaftstogether, said coupling permitting relative rotary movement of saidshafts, means connected to the first of said shafts for rotating thesame independently of the other, and means connected to the second ofsaid shafts for moving said shafts bodily axially, the first of saidshafts being connected to said valve for rotating the same.

5. In a valve operating mechanism of the character described comprisingfirst and second axially aligned shafts, means forming a swivel couplingbetween said shafts whereby they may be relatively rotated but may bemoved axially together, a cone valve, means for connecting said firstshaft to said cone valve whereby they are moved axially together, meansfor rotating the first of said shafts independently of the second, andmeans connected to the second of said shafts for moving both of saidshafts axially together.

6. In a valve operating mechanism of the character described for thetapered plug of a valve operating mechanism comprising first and secondaxially aligned shafts, a swivel coupling connecting said shaftstogether whereby they may be relatively rotated and may be moved axiallytogether, means connected to the first of said shafts for rotating saidfirst shaft independently of the second of said shafts, the first ofsaid shafts being secured to said valve, a rotatable but nonaxiallymovable nut, said second shaft being provided with screw threadsengageable with the threads of said nut, whereby said first and saidsecond shafts may be independently rotated but moved axially together.

7. In a device of the character described for the tapered plug of avalve operating mechanism comprising first and second axially alignedshafts, a swivel coupling connecting said shafts together, means forconnecting the first of said shafts to said valve, means connected tosaid first shaft for rotating the same independently of the other, arotatable but non-axially fixed nut, and means for holding said nut androtating said shaft whereby said shafts are moved axially together, andmeans for preventing rotation of said shaft and permitting rotation ofsaid nut whereby said shafts are axially movable together in theopposite direction.

ERIC A. RUTLEDGE.

